Try your hand at Origami, the popular art of paper folding, or take a walk down the unbelievably ornate temples. At the heart of the city, step into a theater and take in a performance; the works of Mokuami that grip your innards as well as your soul.
Japan today remains a vast theater of beauty and art, of spaces given over to archaeological sites, tombs, landscapes. Its rich diversity is evident that their achievements are like an unending series of exclamation marks.
Pardon me but I have no money to burn and to visit the extent and superiority of their classical origins that Japan had at their center. It was twice taht I've seen Broadcasting students of PUP-CoC perform Kabuki Theater as a part of their requirements in their Drama and Theater Arts (DTA) subject and I was quite fascinated. The unique blend of dance-drama, the entertaining, energetic and awesome in the use of color, make-up, movements and often other spectacular effects is said to be the barometer of the Japanese spirit.




Kabuki originated in the Edo period and was popular with the lower social class as compared to the higher social classed. The word 'Kabuki' is composed of three Japanese characters: 'ka' meaning songs, 'bu' meaning 'dance' and 'ki' meaning 'skill', translated as the art of singing and dancing. It is more likely a Japanese version of Shakespeare's plays being performed in an Opera and can be interpreted as "avant-garde" or "bizarre theater".
The passion for Kabuki Theater began with the first performance by the shrine dancers Okuri at Kyoto in 1603. In the early phase of 17th century, women were banned f4rom performing because women performers were lured to the business of
prostitution and were getting undue attention from male admirers. This led to the development of art of females impersonation wherein males also played female parts. The theater was as popular as ever, and remained the entity of the urban lifestyle even until modern times. The play itself is all about society in a particular period, historical events, moral conflicts, love relationships etc. and are performed using a combination of dramatic dialogue and dance, accompanied by drums, flutes and stringed instruments.
Performers of Kabuki are very famous in Japan and this theatrical art is usually passed from one family generation to the next.
some says you can only appreciate the theatrical creativity of this art form by visiting a Kabuki performance in Japan, but I guess 'local' Kabuki and the attempt to perform such is a good culture buffing to experience.

-Mariz Pamaong